


Such a Good Omega

by Xirayn



Series: The Habits of Humans [2]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alpha Lance (Voltron), Alpha Shiro (Voltron), Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alpha/Omega, Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Beta Hunk (Voltron), Blow Jobs, Consent is Sexy, Explicit Sexual Content, Insecure Lance (Voltron), Knotting, Light Angst, M/M, Marking, Masturbation, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Omega Keith (Voltron), Omega Pidge | Katie Holt, Oral Sex, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, References to Knotting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-22
Updated: 2019-03-02
Packaged: 2019-07-12 22:58:45
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,498
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16005062
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Xirayn/pseuds/Xirayn
Summary: “I could watch you forever.”Some of Keith’s irritation melted away at the sound of the Alpha's voice. No matter how frustrated he was with the situation, he loved Lance, and he loved that Lance let him go only to show up when getting some space threatened to turn into dwelling. It was a silent 'I’m not giving up on you’ that Keith desperately needed.Lance sauntered over with a playful grin and Keith deftly caught the water pouch tossed his way. He popped the cap and drained the contents, acutely aware of Lance’s eyes focused on the way his Adam's apple bobbed with each swallow. His instincts preened at the attention.Once drained, the water pouch left Keith's lips to be dropped to the floor.“How about less watching and more taking?” Keith’s voice smoldered as he prowled closer to Lance. He took the Alpha’s hand and brought it to his cheek, nuzzling the warm skin of his palm before guiding it to his neck. Lance took the hint and curled his fingers into the nape as his thumb rubbed maddening circles into a scent gland.“I think I can do that,” Lance murmured in response. He leaned forward to take Keith’s lips only to be stopped by a hand on his chest."Can you?"





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is a sequel to [Such a Good Alpha](https://archiveofourown.org/works/14749973) and will make more sense if you read that first.

_ Once my teeth had pierced your skin;  _ __  
_ And your blood had touched my tongue;  _ __  
_ We yielded to the beasts within;  
_ _ And together came undone _

__ \- Seamus Pearson, “Unnamed Work #102” _ _

* * *

 

Keith was a wild animal restlessly pacing the confines of his skin; promised a release that was only teased at as Lance’s teeth and nails left every mark except for the one Keith wanted. He had accepted the nest Lance had made for him, was steeped in the spicy-sweet citrus of their combined scents, and was well into his heat. Every instinct said he should be claimed by now, but he was still stuck in a frustrating limbo.

It was starting to get aggravating.

The training droid’s staff came at Keith and he blocked it with his blade, baring his teeth as he redirected the swing. He ducked under the weapon and slashed into the robot’s torso. Satisfaction momentarily soothed his irritation as his blade sliced through metal, sparks sputtering from the damaged innards. There was no thought as momentum carried him around so that he could spring back in. He drove his blade into the fissure, throwing his body weight into the thrust to drive it deeper until the droid burst into a shower of digital particles. With his opponent vanquished, Keith stood up, pushed his hair back, and sheathed his blade.

Keith absently rubbed a scent gland on his neck as he caught his breath. Being in an Alpha’s nest had sent them into overdrive and they ached to be pierced. His mind drifted to the memory of Lance’s teeth scraping over the swollen glands as he rocked into Keith. Each shallow thrust had brought aftershocks of pleasure as Keith clenched Lance’s knot, keeping them tied together. There had been whispered words of love and admiration that had inflamed Keith’s need to claim and be claimed.

There hadn’t been a mark, though, and Keith had finally gotten agitated enough that he needed space. He had told Lance he was going to go spar. Alone. Of course, Lance had let him go. He was a good, supportive Alpha, after all. Keith wasn’t sure if he was more frustrated with Lance or himself because of it.

“I could watch you forever.”

Some of Keith’s irritation melted away at the sound of the Alpha's voice. No matter how frustrated he was with the situation, he loved Lance, and he loved that Lance let him go only to show up when getting some space threatened to turn into dwelling. It was a silent 'I’m not giving up on you’ that Keith desperately needed.

Lance sauntered over with a playful grin and Keith deftly caught the water pouch tossed his way. He popped the cap and drained the contents, acutely aware of Lance’s eyes focused on the way his Adam's apple bobbed with each swallow. His instincts preened at the attention.

Once drained, the water pouch left Keith's lips to be dropped to the floor.

“How about less watching and more taking?” Keith’s voice smoldered as he prowled closer to Lance. He took the Alpha’s hand and brought it to his cheek, nuzzling the warm skin of his palm before guiding it to his neck. Lance took the hint and curled his fingers into the nape as his thumb rubbed maddening circles into a scent gland.

“I think I can do that,” Lance murmured in response. He leaned forward to take Keith’s lips only to be stopped by a hand on his chest.

“Can you?”

Their eyes met with a spark of challenge and the corner of Lance’s mouth twitched up in a mischievous smirk.

“The way you screamed my name this morning is pretty good proof I can,” he teased. He removed the hand on his chest and pulled Keith close, taking his lips. The way he savored the kiss contrasted the ferocity of the lust building between them, the same lust that distracted him from Keith hooking his leg behind Lance’s until it was too late.

In an instant, Lance was thrown on his back with an undignified yelp. In the next, Keith was over him, pinning his hands by his head. He leaned forward until his face was a breath away from Lance's, their scents invading each other's senses and enveloping their brains in a demanding haze of desire.

“Except you still haven't claimed me,” Keith purred.

The reaction was immediate as a vicious onslaught of doubt cut through the primal drive of Lance’s instincts. He turned his head to the side as his playful cockiness drained away. It was enough of a shift that Keith almost regretted saying anything, but he was done waiting.

He released Lance’s hands and sat up before taking a steady breath to clear his head. He immediately regretted it as the scent of aroused Alpha filled his nostrils, so heady that he could almost taste it. Beneath the sweet, musky tang was something else, though; something sour that needed to be addressed.

“Why?” Keith prodded in a tone firm enough to demand answers, yet soft enough to avoid harm.

A deafening silence stretched between them before Lance finally admitted, “I don’t want to do something you’ll regret.”

Keith’s brows knit together as he studied his lover. Every word of love and affection replayed in his mind as he tried to find some hint of where this was coming from. He knew Lance well enough to know it was probably conjured by his own self-doubt, though.

“Lance,” he ordered, “look at me.”

Slowly, Lance’s eyes raised to Keith’s.

“I won’t regret anything you do because it’s you,” Keith stated firmly. His eyes held Lance’s, ensuring that the other paladin could see that he wasn’t going to waver in his resolution. “I chose you. I want you.” He slid back until Lance’s arousal was snug against his ass and his breath caught at the feeling of the hard length against his entrance. He indulged in a sensuous roll of his hips before leaning down to brush his lips against Lance’s. “I need you.”

Lance searched Keith’s dark violet eyes for something he desperately needed, or possibly that he was afraid to find. The desire was easy to spot in the widened pupils and sultry gaze, but there was more to it than just primal need. There was honesty and love and a silent promise of devotion. They had done all the courtship and Keith had accepted Lance’s nest. Keith was his. Keith wanted to be his.

There was no resistance when Lance flipped them over, forearms framing Keith’s head as he covered the Omega. He took Keith's lips, leaving them shiny and swollen by the time his mouth wandered to the curve of his jaw. He kissed and nipped his way to a scent gland and sucked a dark mark into the delicate skin.

“Tonight,” Lance promised in a raspy whisper before soothing the mark with the press of his lips. “In our nest.”

Keith swallowed a whine. He didn’t want to wait. He needed Lance now; needed to be stretched and filled and knotted and claimed. The training room wasn’t the place for that, though, and their nest, beneath the projection of the Milky Way Lance had gotten for him, was much more appropriate. Keith wasn't sure why Lance didn't just take him there now.

“Right now,” Lance continued as if he had heard Keith’s thoughts, “there’s something else I want to do.”

Lance moved back and Keith pushed himself up onto his elbows to watch. When their eyes met, Lance smirked before pushing Keith’s shirt up to expose lean, defined abs. For a moment, he simply admired how they moved with Keith’s breath before bending down to trail his tongue over the dips and ridges of muscle. His fingers went to rest on the buckle of Keith’s belt.

“Can I?” Lance asked, looking at Keith with adoration shining through the lust. It was an adoration that Keith had never thought would be for him. It stoked the fire of his heat, making his cock twitch as slick seeped from his entrance.

“Yeah,” he replied, eager for relief from the confines of his jeans.

Clever fingers worked quickly, leaving the bulge of Keith’s cloth covered erection framed by his open fly as Lance pressed his lips against it. He mouthed and nosed the length, teasing Keith with his lips and tongue while inhaling the intoxicating aroma of the Omega's arousal. 

Keith swallowed thickly when Lance finally uncovered his swollen member. His lips went to gently suck on Keith's shaft right above his balls before licking a strip up to the head. He wrapped his fingers around the Omega's cock and gave it a few lazy strokes before taking it between his lips. He bobbed his head a few times before slowly pulling off, tongue pressing against the underside of the gland and flicking over the slit. The entire time, his eyes never left Keith’s.

“Shit,” Keith practically growled. He reached over to run his fingers through rich brown locks. Amusement sparkled in Lance’s eyes as he bent back down to trace the foreskin that had gathered beneath the head of Keith's cock with his tongue, drawing out a pleasure laced hum. “Such a good Alpha.”

The velvet heat of Lance's mouth enveloped Keith’s cock again. His tongue swirled around the spongy tip, dipping down to run beneath the ridge and tease the foreskin. The hand not steadying himself brushed feather light touches down Keith's shaft and sack, moving lower until he was fondling Keith's balls with his fingers kneading into the flesh behind them.

More slick leaked from Keith’s entrance, adding to the heavy scent of sex and sweat. It enticed Lance to move his fingers down to slide through it. He skirted around the ring of muscle at Keith’s opening, earning a soft whimper in response. The tip of a finger slipped in easily, soon followed by a second then a third. Lance pumped in and out of his lover, eliciting praise in the form of moans and half-formed words.

“Lance,” Keith called, falling back onto the training mat as Lance’s mouth and fingers unraveled him. His teeth dug into his bottom lip as he struggled to keep his hips from stuttering up into the bliss of Lance’s mouth. It wasn’t long before he could feel his orgasm building, pleasure coiling within him like a spring wound all the tighter by his heat.

Lance crooked his fingers and Keith saw white.

“Close,” he panted. His nails scraped at the floor as he tried to hold on just a little longer. “Lance, I’m-”

The warning was cut off by Keith’s orgasm crashing over him. He writhed as his hips pressed up on their own accord, cock pulsing ribbons of cum into Lance’s mouth where it was enthusiastically swallowed down. 

When Keith was spent, Lance let him go with a final lick to collect the last bead of cum. He sat back and pulled his fingers from Keith, bringing them to his mouth in order to drag his tongue over each digit with long, indulgent licks. He smirked when he caught Keith watching him.

When his hand was clean, he tucked Keith’s softened cock back into his jeans before crawling over him with a playfully predatory gleam in his eyes. He licked his lips and kissed his lover, letting him taste the brine of himself on Lance's tongue. Even in the afterglow, Keith's body responded to Lance over him, smelling like the ocean and citrus and Alpha and his, with a renewed desire that made him keen for more.

“Tonight,” Lance murmured. He brushed his knuckles over the mark he had left on Keith's scent gland, eyes dark and hungry. Keith tilted his chin up to expose the column of his throat in response, provoking a low growl. For a moment, it seemed like Lance was going to give in to instinct and take his Omega in the middle of the training room. Instead, he gave Keith a quick kiss as reassurance before quickly putting distance between them.

Keith's primal brain objected to Lance's withdrawal, prompting the start of a whine that was quickly stifled. Keith wanted Lance now, needed him. A good relationship was based on trust and respect, though, so if Lance needed to wait, Keith would wait.

It wasn't until Lance left with some excuse about having promised to help Coran clean that Keith noticed the sour smell had returned.

 

* * *

_ Only 38% of Alphas surveyed said they expected the strength of their instincts after a potential mate had accepted their nest. Of the Alphas who were unprepared, there were several similarities in their experiences despite differences in primary gender, culture, and age. These commonalities contained the following themes: (a) fear of harming their intended mate or others,  (b) emotional withdrawal, (c) delaying or completely abandoning the claiming process, and (d) increases feelings of depression, anxiety, and self loathing. _

 -  _ _Deandra Roux-Prieto Kalj, The Effects of Instinct and the Primal Brain on Mental Well Being, 31, 4, (186)__

* * *

 

The honey habanero of Keith’s heat clung to Lance, accompanied by the deliciously pungent flavor of him on his tongue. The scent and taste made an intoxicating mix that dominated Lance's senses and drove him to the locker room connected to the gym for fear of being drawn back to Keith. With Keith in his nest, the instinct to take him was more powerful than Lance could have imagined. He was terrified of how strong it would be if he actually marked Keith. The thought of hurting him or being unable to stop if asked made his stomach churn.

As soon as the door slid closed behind him, Lance undid his jeans with a hiss of relief. He didn't dare touch himself, at least not yet. A trail of clothing was left in his wake as he staggered to the showers, unaware of anything other than his need for release. Thankfully, Altean technology meant that he didn't need to think in order to get the perfect temperature of water. It hit him in a gentle spray, cooling his heated skin and diluting the scent of Omega. He caught a mouthful of water and swished the taste of cum away as best he could.

His hands found the wall, bracing himself against the smooth tile as he let the water flow over the contours of his body. He needed to clear his head; something that was impossible to do with Keith dominating his senses.

Unconsciously, Lance's hand wandered to his erection, fingers stroking over where his knot would swell. It was already growing with an anticipation that was beyond his control. He moved over it with a light touch and short, staccato movements before gathering some Altean body oil from the wall dispenser. With one hand bracing himself against the wall, he wrapped his oil-slicked fingers around his cock and dragged them down his length.

The memory of when Keith first slid into his lap spurred Lance on. Small thrusts chased the feeling of Keith against him, lips and tongue a soft contrast to the firm muscles coiled beneath warm skin. He could almost hear the muted growls and moans he could draw out, accompanied by the pain mixed pleasure of teeth and nails making maps across his skin.

“Keith,” he groaned as his thumb rolled over the head of his cock, smearing the precum that had gathered there. He fell forward, elbow hitting the wall and forehead resting on the cool tile as he continued to stroke himself. In his mind, stormy purple eyes sparked with a challenge, daring Lance to make him submit and claim him as much as they invited it.

A low growl emanated from his chest as his fantasy moved to pushing Keith down and mounting him. He imagined Keith mewling beneath him, arching his back and pressing his ass up to get Lance deeper as his knot swelled. It drove him to rhythmically tighten his grip as he thrust into his hand in a poor imitation of how Keith's ass would milk him.

His knot started to swell enough catch with each thrust. The Keith in his mind begged to be knotted, voice smoldering with his own need for release. Warmth tightened low in Lance's gut as the image and his movements propelled him towards his release. He needed Keith. He needed to be surrounded by his heat as it gripped him just right and to bury his nose in his stupid hair and sink his teeth into his salty sweet flesh.

“Lance!”

Mortifyingly, Lance came right as Shiro barked his name. He froze, breath coming in rapid pants. The need for Keith still burned in some primal part of his brain, manifested in the ache of his knot. If he was with Keith, it would tie them together and Lance would be able to bring them to at least one more orgasm. Without him and the sensation of being grasped, however, Lance's knot quickly subsided.

He finished washing up as he willed his heart rate down to no effect. When he stepped out of the shower, he was greeted by Shiro wearing nothing but a scowl and a towel, his jaw set and arms crossed as he glared at Lance in disapproval. The other Alpha’s usually crisp orchard scent was acrid to Lance's nose due to Keith’s heat and while he logically knew that Shiro wasn't a threat, he still bristled at his presence. Lance stalked over to grab his own towel, trying to ignore the steely glare pinned on him.

“You know, when I approved of you claiming Keith, I thought you were actually going to do it instead of stringing him along while you jerk off in the shower,”  Shiro finally said.

“And when I asked for your approval, it was just as a sign of respect,” Lance grit out, stubbornly keeping his eyes forward as he dried himself off.

“Lance, are you even serious about-”

“Don't you dare,” Lance snarled, whipping around to face Shiro. His lips curled into a sneer that exposed a warning glimpse of blunted fangs. Anger crackled in his eyes. “I know we're both on edge right now, but I swear if you finish that sentence, things are going to get real ugly, real quick.”

Shiro stepped up to the challenge, shoulders squared and chin raised. He towered over Lance, but the younger Alpha was defiant and remained poised to strike. A paranoid, animalistic part of his mind hissed that Shiro wanted to take his Omega.

Keith wasn't his, though, and that was no one's fault but his own.

The fight drained from Lance, causing his shoulders to drop and his gaze to fall to the floor. The agitation remained, but it was turned inward. He was the only one to blame for the entire situation, after all. He skulked around Shiro to gather his clothes, acutely aware of the larger Alpha’s eyes still following him despite his submission.

“What's wrong, Lance?” Shiro asked as Lance slipped on his briefs and jeans. “You and Keith are good together. He loves you and-”

“I know,” Lance interrupted, fists clenching around the shirt in his hands. 

Keith's love wasn't in doubt. It was shown daily in how he smiled at Lance or curled up against him at night. Every conversation they had was laced with it, especially when Keith tried to remember the Spanish his father had taught him so Lance could have that little reminder of home. Keith had become home, though; in any and every language. Lance was just too much of a coward to take the next step.

“Then I hope you understand what that means to him,” Shiro said.

“I do,” Lance murmured. He stayed frozen in place until he felt the weight of Shiro's stare lift and heard a shower turn on. In a flurry of motion, he pulled his shirt and jacket on then jammed his feet into his shoes before scurrying out of the locker room.

He knew what having Keith’s love meant, he just wasn't sure he deserved it.

 

* * *

**_3\. Ditch the Alphas_ ** _  
_ _ Nothing against Alphas, but having eligible ones around is a sure way to make your heat worse. Create an 'Alpha free zone’ and have your Beta and Omega friends over. Better yet, spend some time with your familial pack. Your instincts won't be as demanding and you'll get a chance to reconnect. _

 -  _ _Zhang, Elle., ”7 Ways to Beat your Heat” Zed Magazine, Mar. Ed:108-13. Print__  

* * *

 

A barrage of attacks hit Hunk as Keith came in hard and fast, taking advantage of his agility to get past Hunk’s defenses. Hunk was able to catch his opponent, however, and exploited the opportunity to drive Keith back with strong, sure strikes that left Keith dazed. He recovered just as Hunk was about to slam down on him, dodging to the side and springing back in with a furious blaze of strikes.

Neither of them looked up when the sound of the door signaled Pidge’s arrival. She smirked when she spotted the dark purple splotch that had blossomed of Keith’s pale skin. “Aw, look at your little mark.”

Keith didn’t let up his assault as he rolled his eyes. Fire formed around him as his attack gained energy, culminating in a devastating inferno. The letters ‘K.O.’ took over the screen in stylized, red letters as Keith’s character delivered some line about victory that sounded like it had come from a fortune cookie - or Shiro.

“Come on, Pidge!” Hunk tossed his controller onto the table in front of him and slumped back onto the couch. “If you're going to taunt him, at least do it well enough to give me an opening.”

“Sorry.” 

The young Omega climbed into the space between Hunk and Keith, her small hand resting on Hunk’s shoulder to steady herself as she stretched up to rub her cheek against his. He huffed, though there was no real annoyance to it, and returned the gesture. She plopped down and presented her cheek to Keith. He hesitated before nuzzling her, relaxing at the smell of pack and the sense of belonging that accompanied the gesture. She smiled at him before snatching the controller from the table and settling back into her spot.

“So, where’s loverboy?” she asked as she brought up the character select screen.

“We’re taking a break,” Keith muttered. He scrolled through the characters until he came to the hardiest one he was comfortable with. Pidge almost always played high damage characters and her skill was only challenged by Lance and Matt. Keith’s best chance was to last long enough to get lucky.

“Can you do that?” Hunk asked. Worry tinged his voice and pulled at the corners of his mouth.

“Yes, Hunk, we can do that.” Keith's grip tightened on his controller. He had come here to not think about Lance or his heat; at least, as much as that was possible. “It's not like we're connected at the hip.”

Pidge practically choked on a held back laugh. “At least not at the moment.”

“You know, you’re going to get your heat eventually,” Keith growled through clenched teeth.

“Yeah, but that's what toys and suppressants are for.” 

Pidge waved a hand as if dismissing the idea, reminding Keith of all the times he had ignored the warnings of how strong the need caused by a heat was or how bad the side effects of suppressants could be. He had thought they were just stories to scare young Omegas or excuse promiscuous behavior until he had experienced it himself. 

“A lot more efficient and a lot less messy,” she added. “Physically and emotionally.”

“You know what? I think I’m done.”

Keith set his controller down, irritation beginning to writhe beneath his skin. He started to leave, but didn't get far before Hunk’s hand was on his shoulder. The weight of it along with Hunk’s warm spice and sun-baked rock scent calmed the prickles of agitation. There were also traces of citrus and sea that marked Hunk as Lance's beta, giving his scent a feeling of family and home that made Keith's heart twist with longing.

“Are you and Lance ok?” Hunk asked, not waiting for Keith to turn around or acknowledge him.

“Yeah,” Keith sighed. His voice came out strained enough to hint that he wasn't quite convinced of his own words. “He’s just being complicated. I accepted his nest and told him I want to be his mate; that should be it. Instead, he’s worrying about doing something I’ll regret or maybe that he’ll regret and over thinking things and just… Being Lance.”

“You know that has nothing to do with you, though, right?” Hunk's voice was steady, a stark contrast from the snark and anxiety Keith had become accustomed to. “He's really into you and probably just scared he’s not going to be the mate you deserve.”

“Lance is his own worst enemy,” Pidge piped up. She had started a single player match in the time it had taken Hunk to stop Keith and didn't look away from the screen as she spoke. Her tone was almost clinical as if she was reciting a passage from the stat sheet of her team's strengths and weaknesses that no one doubted she had. “He's never enough for himself, so he doesn't believe he's ever enough for anyone else. All his cockiness is just an act to try and convince everyone he isn't as incompetent as he thinks he is.”

Keith’s jaw clenched as he took a moment to reign in his annoyance. The fact Lance didn't believe his own hype was far from a secret and he disliked the implication that he didn't know something so obvious about his future mate.

“So what would you do?” he bit out. If Pidge noticed his irritation, she didn't show it.

“Validation and praise,” she responded curtly. Her attention never left the screen in front of her. “Submit to him, stroke his inner Alpha. That whole thing.”

Keith's eyes narrowed at her as he considered the simplicity of her advice. “I’ve done that.”

“Have you?” Hunk countered gently. His hand left Keith's shoulder to rub the back of his neck, giving him a weak, almost apologetic smile. “Sometimes Lance needs words to drown himself out.”

“It's dumb,” Pidge added as her fingers flew over the controller as she battled the AI, “but it’s Lance.”

Keith’s brow pinched and his lips pursed into a tight line. He preferred actions to words, they carried more weight, but Hunk was probably right. The memory of Lance's eyes seeking for something unsaid came to mind. Keith had thought he had found what he was looking for, but now he wasn't sure. Maybe he had only seen enough to temporarily quell his insecurities and needed verbal confirmation to solidify it.

“I'm not good with words,” Keith finally muttered.

“You don't need to be,” Hunk assured, “just tell him why you love him and want to be his mate.”

“Fawn over him. Get a little dirty,” Pidge offered. She tilted her head back until she was looking back at Hunk and Keith. On the screen, the camera slowly panned around her character as they stood in a victory pose. Her lips puckered as she took on a playfully mocking tone as she spoke. “Oh, Lance, you’re such a good Alpha. I couldn’t lead Voltron without you there to keep me from making dumb decisions that could get the team killed and hold things together while I do my lone wolf thing. I need your strong hands all over my body as you pound some sense into me with your thick cock. Fuck me hard enough that I feel it the rest of the week. Knot me and fill me with your cum. Use me then mark me so that everyone knows who I belong to.”

Keith and Hunk both stared at Pidge. Hunk gaped in stunned silence as Keith quirked a questioning brow. Neither was quite sure what to make of the slew of words or the accompanying imagery that had come from the youngest member of the team.

“What?” Pidge asked far too casually. “I’ve seen porn.”

“Okay,” Hunk started, drawing out the syllables while eyeing Pidge like she had just spoken in tongues, “maybe not that exactly, but something like it wouldn't be,” he waffled for a bit before deciding on, “too bad.”

“Yeah, not helpful,” Keith huffed, sounding sharper than he had really intended. The ache of hunger exasperated his irritation as his body demanded carbs and protein to fuel something evolution had abandoned in male Omegas long ago. He was also done with this conversation and food was as good an excuse as any to escape. “Are there any pizza rolls left?”

Hunk nodded. “There should be some in the freezer. If not, I can make some.”

“Thanks.” Fondness temporarily eased Keith’s annoyance and brought with it a pang of guilt. “You're a good Beta, Hunk. I'm glad to have you as pack.”

“Aw, see,” Hunk chuckled, “You aren't that bad at words.” His smile had the comforting warmth of cookies fresh from the oven as he pulled Keith into a hug. He nuzzled Keith's cheek, scenting him as a reminder that, no how things went, he would be there. “Let me know if you need anything.”

 

* * *

_ It seems that Alteans have no sense of monogamy. From my talks with Alfor, I have gleaned that there are multiple types of romantic relationships with varying degrees and forms of intimacy. I will have to discuss this with Honerva as I am admittedly not open to the idea of sharing her, but I also despise the idea of living without her. Perhaps a better understanding will help assuage my fears. _

 - Excerpt from Emperor Zarkon's personal log 

* * *

 

Keith's heat hadn’t been Lance’s first; that honor went to Jenny Shaybon. She had asked Lance because he had the reputation of being a flirty, non-threatening Alpha. When he had been attentive to her needs and respectful of her boundaries, she had told her friends and word got around so that safe was added to his reputation. A few Omegas sought him out after that. Most memorable was Devin.

Devin had known Hunk through the trans community at the Garrison and asked to be introduced to Lance. He had been open about wanting someone to spend his heat with who wouldn't take advantage of him. Seeing how frightened Devin had been of having his own desire for pleasure and connection taken and turned against him had cemented the importance of communication and consent in Lance's mind. He never wanted anyone to feel how Devin had been afraid of feeling; he especially never wanted to be the cause.

Now, however, Keith had accepted Lance’s nest and smelled like his, making the instinct to take hard to resist. He wasn't checking in as much and being rougher than intended. If he marked Keith, he was pretty sure any semblance of control would be gone.

Keith wanted to be his mate, though. He wanted Lance to claim him and would probably be fine if Lance lost some control in the process. They had gone through all the proper courting, after all. Lance had even gotten the approval of the closest thing Keith had to a familial Alpha. There was nothing really stopping Lance other than his own self-loathing and cowardice.

“I think that one is clean enough, m’boy,” Coran said, interrupting his own rambling along with Lance’s thoughts.

Lance looked at the scaultrite lense in his hand. His reflection stared back at him on the polished surface, handsome despite being all angles and proportions that were just slightly off. A beautiful idiot, as he had heard enough times it almost didn’t hurt anymore. He pushed that thought aside to try and see what Keith saw. When Keith had first asked Lance to spend his heat with him, it had been because he knew he could count on Lance. That was certainly true, but there had to be more than that. If there wasn’t, it was only a matter of time before Keith realized Lance was a good teammate and friend and not much more.

“Something on your mind?” Coran asked after he didn’t receive any acknowledgment.

“Just Keith,” Lance muttered. He placed the lens aside and picked up the next one, resuming his polishing as his id and superego tore each other apart.

“Aw, young love.” Coran let out a wistful sigh as his attention drifted to something unseen. “I remember the days of courting my Hys. They were a fiery one with arms like Tleorfaln trees and a physique carved from Qoumetsian marble. Absolutely gorgeous.”

“I didn’t know you had a mate,” Lance responded in an effort to latch onto the distraction.

“Alteans don’t have mates,” Coran corrected. “Honestly, most of us were never much for monogamy.”

Lance shrugged. “Neither are some humans.”

“You are a very diverse species,” Coran noted with a fond chuckle. He took a moment to hold the lense he had been cleaning up to the light and inspect his work before moving to the next one. As he began to polish it, his thoughts turned to a part of his life that was a bit too sore to bring up as regularly as his other tales. A smile shadowed by bittersweet memories curved his lips and wrinkled the corners of his eyes.

“Hys was my pragma,” he explained, “which is probably the closest Alteans have to a mate. It is said they are the person, or persons, who most compliment us. They are who we chose to walk with until our paths diverge, sharing burdens and bounty alike.”

“With how you talk about King Alfor,” Lance ventured cautiously, “I kind of thought you two were a thing.”

“Oh, we were, but he was one of my ludos. Hys quite enjoyed hearing about our passionate encounters. We would open a bottle of nunvil and exchanged stories. We even shared ludos from time to time. They had exquisite taste in partners and always believed the more the merrier.” He stroked the end of his mustache with a pensive grin, not paying much attention to Lance anymore. “It was a wonderful relationship. Why I remember-”

Lance stayed silent as Coran continued his story. The familiar lilt and steady cadence was almost comforting enough to quell his thoughts. It reminded him of the time spent with his father, sitting on a dock catching fish for his meemaw’s pescado en escabeche. They somehow simultaneously talked about nothing and everything as his father told stories and Lance contemplated how boring fishing was.

“Despite it all,” Coran’s continued from some part of his story that Lance hadn't registered, “I nearly backed out of the commitment ceremony for fear I wasn't going to be enough for Hys. Compared to the company they usually kept I wasn’t much, after all. They just took me by the shoulders, though, and said 'my pragma is my choice and I choose you so don't you dare try and take that choice from me’.” A sentimental chuckle turned into a look that yearned for a time long gone. “We were together right up until the end.”

Lance didn't need to ask what 'the end’ meant. 

“Weren’t you still afraid, though?” He asked quietly. “I love Keith and want to be his mate, but… I don't want to hurt him. Or for him to hurt me, I guess.”

“Well, why do you love him?” Coran responded and, for just a moment, Lance could hear that same question in his father’s voice.

“I-” Lance hesitated. He knew why he was attracted to Keith. He was courageous and passionate and had an enigmatic charm that Lance found hard to resist. That alone didn't seem to explain why Lance loved him, though. It was like trying to explain why he loved his heart. He knew the components, but the reality was so inherent that it was difficult to put into words.

“Because being with him feels like being home,” Lance finally answered. “I mean, yeah, he's also extremely attractive and everything I want in a mate, but it's more than that. He makes me feel everything I want to feel.”

“And why do you want to be his mate?”

“Because I want to be that for him,” Lance murmured. “I want to be the person who he looks forward to returning to, who makes him feel safe and loved and like he can be himself with.”

“Well, see,” Coran's voice was gentle and made Lance wonder things about Coran's family he hadn't wondered before, “that doesn't sound like something to be afraid of, now does it?”

“No.” The start of a smile formed on Lance's face as he thought about Keith and the future he wanted to spend with him. “It doesn't.”

Lance looked back at his reflection. He still didn't see what Keith saw, but he didn't need to. Keith had chosen him, after all, and Lance wasn't going to deny him that choice.


	2. Chapter 2

_ There is extensive evidence that couples can maintain a strong, healthy relationship without a mating bond or after it has been broken, something that naturally occurs when heats are spent apart. _

\- Human Biology: Concepts and Current Issues ed. 21

* * *

  


Keith wasn’t at dinner, which resulted in Lance ignoring his food in favor of watching the door like a puppy waiting for its master. The others ate and chatted around him, occasionally exchanging conspiratorial looks or poorly hidden smirks. He ignored them, any feeling of embarrassment overwhelmed by the paranoia that was being fed by the increasingly ridiculous explanations for Keith's absence being provided by his primal brain. It finally drove Lance to excuse himself; he needed to be with his intended mate, even if just to care for him and fend off any challengers.

As he left, he could hear Shiro assuring Allura that it was common for Alphas to skip meals when spending a heat with an Omega. Mercifully, the door closed behind him before he caught anything Pidge or Hunk might add. He didn’t need to hear any of the overly scientific explanations about how his instinct to breed overrode his appetite or their jokes at his expense.

He picked up Keith’s scent as he neared his room. It was a scent Lance had become intimately familiar with. Even before their relationship had started, before they had even left the Garrison, Lance would guiltily scent the air when Keith was nearby. The smell was deliciously crisp with a bite that persisted in a way Lance found almost addicting. Keith’s heat just added a sweetness that made Lance’s primal brain yearn for things he had never thought he could have.

It was funny how terrifying those things were now that they were being freely offered.

Keith’s promising scent rolled over Lance as the doors to his room slid open and he stepped into the silvery blue light cast by the projection of the Milky Way splattered across the ceiling. His eyes adjusted to the dim light to reveal Keith sprawled out in Lance’s nest, naked beneath the black and red blanket Lance had knit for him. The loose weave exposed a tantalizing mottle of smooth, beige skin stretched over toned muscles that made Lance's fingers twitch with the desire to touch. Before he could move, however, dark, sultry eyes turned to him, causing a shiver to run down his spine and settle hot in his groin.

“Hey,” Lance greeted in a reverent whisper. He approached the bed as casually as he could while every part of him hummed with the need to take the Omega in his nest.

“Mmmm.” Keith stretched out, arching his back and lengthening his limbs in a way that displayed the elegant lines of his body. He recoiled up into a seated position with a playful smirk that tempted Lance closer. “Hey.”

Lance quickly covered the remaining distance between them to take Keith’s lips and smiled against them when the Omega purred his approval. The mattress shifted beneath them as he crawled over Keith, the haze of lust settling over his mind spurring him to take more and push farther until he was devouring the man beneath him. He traveled the ridge of Keith’s jaw to his neck, licking and nipping the column of flesh as he savored the taste of his lover. He scraped his teeth over a swollen scent gland, earning a desperate moan that mad grind his arousal down against Keith’s.

“Clothes off,” Keith demanded through raspy pants.

Lance quickly complied, shedding his jacket and tearing his shirt off over his head. He almost fell off the bed in his eagerness to remove his shoes and jeans, earning a low chuckle. He felt Keith’s eyes on him, sparkling with amusement. In response, Lance made himself slow down as he removed his briefs, satisfied when the amusement sharpened into a predatory focus as he hooked his thumbs on the waistband. He took his time pushing the fabric down, teasingly revealing bits of skin until his cock sprang free.

Precum was already weeping from the tip, prompting Keith’s tongue to peek out to lick his lips as he imagined taking it into his mouth and tasting the velvety flesh. His body demanded to be filled in another way, though, so he tilted his head back to offer his neck as his legs fell open. Lance was immediately between them. He peppered Keith’s neck with open-mouthed kisses and deliberate nips as he aligned their hips so their lengths slid together his each languid thrust.

“Lance,” Keith keened as it quickly became too much while still not being nearly enough. His nails bit into Lance’s skin, leaving angry red trails as he tried to pull the Alpha impossibly closer. A nip to a scent gland had him arching up into Lance with a strangled moan that was answered by a pleased growl. 

“Mark me,” he gasped. “Just -fuck- please. I need it. I need you.”

Lance stilled, his earlier conflict cutting through the haze of lust that was slowly coating his mind. He raised up so that he could look into Keith’s eyes, something warm and familiar swelling in his chest as he looked down at the mess of hair and swollen lips that accented darkened, purple eyes gazing back with a lifetime of promises reflected in their depths.

“I don’t want to hurt you,” Lance whispered, the words raw enough that they felt as if they had scratched his throat. Any doubts about being Keith’s mate had been resolved, but the fear of losing control and physically hurting him was far more persistent. “If I mark you, though, I might not be able to control myself.”

Keith understood the implications of Lance’s words, but they didn’t frighten him. Lance was his best friend and other half; Keith trusted him implicitly. There was also a primal part of him that welcomed a loss of control. He loved Lance and appreciated the focus he put on his lover’s pleasure and comfort, but his inner Omega yearned to be taken by this Alpha he had chosen. He pushed himself up to take Lance’s lips, licking into Lance’s mouth and taking his time to enjoy the taste of his lover and the way their mouths fit together.

“Lance, I want to be yours,” he whispered, his breath dancing across Lance's lips. He remembered Hunk's advice and tried to think of the words to explain what Lance meant to him. “You’ve made my life better in so many ways and I know that no matter what happens, you’ll always have my back. That just makes me want you more, though. You’re my partner and if you lose control, then we lose control together.”

Something playful with a spark of challenge flashed in his eyes, mixing with the love and honesty that Lance saw in them in a way that made his heart jump and tighten in a swirl of emotion. The Omega turned over, lifting his hips so that Lance’s length was nestled against his ass and chuffing an invitation. Keith chuckled when the call was involuntarily answered with a stuttered thrust.

“Such a good Omega,” Lance murmured as he leaned forward to press his lips to the nape of Keith’s neck. One hand stayed planted on the mattress while the other wrapped around Keith’s hip, fingers pressing into his flesh as Lance began to rock forward. His cock slid through Keith’s slick and if he angled himself just right, the head prodded at the Omega’s entrance in a deliberate tease. All the while, his mouth explored the muscles and ligaments of Keith’s neck and shoulders.

“Stop messing around and mark me,” Keith moaned, futilely rolling his hips back in an attempt to satisfy the gnawing ache that demanded to be stretched and filled.

Lance’s content hum was met with an impatient growl as he continued to thrust against his lover and map the expanse of his skin. He let his lips part so that each inhale flooded his brain with the heady mix of pheromones that saturated Keith’s scent, causing the synapses of his primal brain to light up. Precum dripped from the tip of his cock to mix with Keith’s slick and a well-angled thrust pressed the head of his cock past the muscles that ringed the Omega’s entrance, drawing out a gasp that was immediately followed by a needy moan. Lance pushed forward until he was fully engulfed in the warmth of his lover, encouraged by the needy, half-swallowed whimpers from the man beneath him.

“Want you,” Lance rasped. He found a scent gland and ran his tongue over it, the taste of Keith's heat completely intoxicating.

“Have me.”

Teeth pierced Keith’s flesh without warning, drawing out a lavacious cry as he arched back against the Alpha covering him. Sweetly metallic blood seeping into Lance’s mouth, the hormone-laden sebum lacing it affecting his primal brain like a fast-acting drug. His fingers pressed bruises into Keith’s hip as he began to thrust into him, driven by the overwhelming desire to seal his claim and breed his new mate despite the impossibility of conception. 

Beneath him, Keith lost his breath to the sudden torrent of feeling that drowned him in pleasure and instinct and Lance. Warmth radiated from the mark, tingling beneath his skin and amplifying every touch. The swipe of Lance’s tongue left soothing stripes that were punctuated by sparks of pleasure from every kiss and nip. His cock leaked onto the sheets as Lance drove into him and he craned his neck to expose more of it to the Alpha’s wonderfully torturous mouth. 

It wasn't long before Lance's knot began to swell and Keith's body greedily clenched around it, drawing him in and keeping them tied together. The previously rough, deep thrusts became a steady rock that found Keith’s prostate after a few adjustments. He cried out as Lance tormented him with his unerring precision. 

Keith could practically feel the satisfied smirk on his lover’s lips.

“Such a good Omega,” Lance murmured in Keith’s ear, lightly nipping the lobe. The words were like honey, sweet and syrupy as they coated something instinctual in Keith's mind with a sense of warmth and euphoria. “So pliant stuck on my knot”

“Mmm… it feels good,” Keith slurred. He wasn’t very vocal during sex, but the way Lance invaded his senses loosened his tongue. “Like it was made for me.”

“Shit,” Lance groaned. He bit into Keith's shoulder, his need inflamed by his mate's words and driving his movements with a new sense of urgency. 

He was teetering on the edge of a precipice, ready to fall but unwilling to let go before his lover. Such things were beyond his control, however, as he was almost completely overwhelmed by the instinctual desire to breed. A moan reverberated deep in his chest as his orgasm crashed into him, hips unconsciously slamming forward with each spurt of cum to get it as deep as possible. 

Keith chased his own orgasm, grinding back against Lance with the throb of the knot inside him adding to the ache coiling in his groin. A needy mewl slipped passed his lips when strong arms wrapped around his torso to pull him back onto his knees, holding him against Lance's broad chest. The repositioning made Lance's knot pull at his entrance and the pain accentuated his pleasure, dragging him maddeningly closer to his release. The Omega's head fell back onto his Alpha's shoulder as a sure hand began to stroke his cock and an eager mouth added to the necklace of marks that adorned Keith's neck. He reached back and dug his nails into the meat of Lance's ass to pull him closer and desperately rocked back until the aching coil of warmth snapped and he came hard, writhing against Lance as his voice caught in his throat.

He had barely begun to come down from his orgasm when Lance pushed him back down into the mattress and started thrusting into him again. Keith's fingers twisted into the sheets as he rode the swell of another orgasm with the first still sending tremors through his body. This time, he came when Lance did, biting the pillow and wishing it was Lance. Once they were no longer tied, he would mark as he pleased until every bite and bruise had been answered, but for the moment, he was content just being bred.

Awareness eventually came back to him in pieces, Lance’s breath ghosting against his neck the first thing to register beyond the blissful aftershocks of his orgasm. A kiss was pressed to the nape of his neck and Keith hummed in the desire for more, a flicker of lust still tingling somewhere behind the hazy satisfaction. 

“Such a good Omega,” Lance mumbled into Keith’s ear. A heavy warmth settled into his limbs, prompting him to roll them onto their sides before he fell. Once there, he curled around Keith and traced the definition of his stomach with feather-light touches. He nuzzled Keith’s hair, filling his lungs with their combined scent.

The nuzzling gradually turned into soft mouthing and when Keith chuffed another invitation, Lance gladly began to rock into him. With the edge taken off their desire, they were able to take the time to stoke the flicker of lust into a slow-burning flame that melted them together. 

As Lance continued to move, Keith carefully twisted around for a kiss filled with emotions that were almost impossible to adequately put into words. He knew he hadn’t been able to really convey half of the things he had wanted to, but he had the rest of their lives for that. For know, everything seemed to be summed up into a single word.

“Mine.”

Lance chuckled, his hold on his mate tightening the slightest bit as he brushed his lips against Keith’s.

“Yours.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you to [Nikole-Kephir](https://nikole-kephir.tumblr.com) and [ShanimalX/Yesweimei](https://klanstability.tumblr.com/) for their help. Go check them out.
> 
> If you are interested in seeing more or have questions about this version of ABO dynamics, let me know in the comments or find me on [Tumblr as Xirayn](https://xirayn.tumblr.com/).


End file.
